New Chapter, New things to Triumph

Hi all!  I do hope all you wonderful Military Spouses had a great Mil Spouse day and all the amazing Moms had a wonderful Mother’s Day.  I am sorry I’m lagging on responding to everyone.  I’ve been sick and that’s just a headache in itself.  So with being sick and then trying to make sure we have all the legalities set right with L so she can be with my Mom and Grandma before I leave for Basic training.  That and then we’ve been researching like crazy trying to find a great place to board our Tanker…eek!  It really bothers me to leave him at a boarding kennel because 1. I never have and 2. He’s my baby boy I have never left him with anyone.  I will probably be known as the crazy fur Mama because I love our doggies and take care of them the best I can.  It’s just like having to leave L, I don’t want to.  Ugh the dilemmas but I have to find the strength to just stomp on the sad thoughts.
With all of that going on, I’ve been trying to make sure I have things ready for L while she’s away from Mommy and Daddy.  She already has her Build-A-Bear that has both hubby’s and my voices in it saying we love Layla.  I was attempting to make sure I had a scrapbook ready for her, but my Mom and L will just have to do one together so she can have pictures of us as a family and some with just Daddy and some with just Mommy.  I think it’ll make it more memorable if she helps her Grandma make one with her.  I’ve also made L a couple of videos of me, one of me reading her one of her fave books (Guess How Much I Love You) and just another of me telling her Mommy is working while she’s away from her and just telling her how much I love her.
A lot of people have been telling me lately, “I don’t know how you’re doing this”.  I’m not just becoming a Soldier for the sake of becoming one.  I’m doing this for my family.  I’m doing this to give my family their needs and wants.  I’ve always been an independent girl and I’ve always worked minus being home with L since she was born.  I’m ready for us to be able to do much more.  But to get to where we want we first have to be challenged.  I can’t say I’m ready to be away from my family for awhile because I’m not, that’s something I will never be ready for.  But I am ready for whatever comes our way.  If I have to be challenged I’ll do anything for my family.
Anyways, besides my randomness we are getting ready to be home this next week with family and being with L till I leave for training.  This next week I’ll definitely be tested and I can’t say I won’t ball like a big baby cause I will.  But I’ll look at Layla and my husband be reminded of what will motivate me through all my ups and downs while I’m gone.  This is a time to be stronger than we’ve ever been.  It’s funny cause I was telling my husband last week how this is harder than deployment.  Because at least during his deployment Layla and I had each other and the dogs.  My husband at least had some really good friends.  Yet, this time around we are all going to have to be independent and really make the best of what we have.  L will be the only one with all the support all of the time because of family.  Whereas M will have the dogs (which is what I wish I could at least say haha) and I will have to rely on strangers. 
All in all I’m just ready to rip this off like a BandAid and be home with L and M and the doggies again.  So I’m just going to pray real hard that time fly’s by so I can be home and a little bit more sane again.
Pictures from my wonderful Mother’s Day…thanks to my lovies.

The many faces of a dancing L in the truck as we head out to the lake.

L hanging out near Daddy as he messes with fishing line.

As her GodMama would say, “Diva Status”.  L has definitely always been my little Diva Doll.

Cheese.

Always love when there is bright beautiful blue skies.

It was snack time for L and snack time is all the time haha.  But this is one of my fave pics of her.

I always love love love an up close shot of Layla.

One word. Precious.  (Even with food on her face.)

L caught a fish and Daddy was trying to help her get a grip on it.

Getting ready to hold that fish of hers.

Daddy and L with her little white bass.  Perfect size for the little munchie don’t ya think?

Hope you are all off to a wonderful week.  Much love to you all who have befriended me through blogging.  I appreciate it with all of my heart.  I’m glad that I could make such great connections and I hope that it stays that way when I get back from training.  I’m hoping somewhere along the way maybe while I’m in AIT I can blog about my journey thus far.  Either way I’ll spill the beans when I’m back for sure.  XOXO.